The Trial of Treasures and a Mysterious Return

Atop the First Peak, on a stretch of level ground just outside the small courtyard.

“Junior Brother, there’s no need to worry,” Yu Qingxuan said, standing opposite Qin Yan with a relaxed smile. “Feel free to use that item you just picked up on me!”

Gazing at the Luban Lock in his hand, Qin Yan infused it with spiritual energy, instantly grasping its function.

It was much like the technological marvels of his previous life, where most devices came accompanied by a comprehensive instruction manual.

“Pardon the offense, Senior Sister!” Qin Yan replied, before tossing the Luban Lock from his hand towards Yu Qingxuan.

The Luban Lock, soaring through the air, suddenly unfurled into a vast net.

Its speed was astonishing, enveloping Yu Qingxuan in an instant.

Qin Yan could distinctly feel his divine sense extending, allowing him to control the intricate web.

At that moment, Yu Qingxuan resembled nothing so much as a canary confined within a gilded cage.

She surveyed the Luban Lock that held her captive, then slowly began to exert her spiritual energy, testing its resilience.

It wasn’t until her power reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage that the Luban Lock finally emitted a strained, groaning ‘creak,’ buckling under the immense pressure.

“A fine mechanism, indeed,” Yu Qingxuan remarked. “It can at least trap a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator for the time it takes an incense stick to burn (TL Note: Approximately five to ten minutes in ancient China), and as for those in the Golden Core realm, it might disrupt them for a mere breath.”

“Does it have any other functions?”

“It does, Senior Sister, do be careful!”

Qin Yan extended his palm, then clenched it into a fist.

In an instant, the entire Luban Lock began to contract, shrinking rapidly.

Yu Qingxuan offered no resistance, allowing herself to be firmly compressed within the Luban Lock.

Her figure was already ample, with alluring curves that swelled and tapered in all the right places, and for a moment, she bore an uncanny resemblance to certain provocative imagery from his previous life’s island nation (TL Note: This is an implied reference to adult films from Japan, often censored in Chinese web novels).

Yu Qingxuan, having changed into a slightly thin green dress, found herself staring at the unexpected prominence of her chest, which made her breath catch in her throat.

“This move is rather embarrassing…”

Noticing Qin Yan’s somewhat peculiar gaze, a faint blush crept across Yu Qingxuan’s beautiful face.

What could she do? It wasn’t her fault she was simply too, too generously endowed!

However, she quickly regained control of her emotions, even finding herself a little amused.

Why was she acting so bashfully, like a man?

Could her Junior Brother have possibly intended this?

It was merely a test of the magical artifact’s mechanism, after all!

“Senior Sister…” Qin Yan, feeling a prickle of embarrassment himself, immediately retracted the Luban Lock and gazed at Yu Qingxuan.

“It’s nothing,” Yu Qingxuan said, waving a hand dismissively as she straightened her damp dress.

She then continued, “This treasure is indeed quite impressive. Now, let’s see the divine dragon I have here!”

With that, Yu Qingxuan retrieved a divine dragon figure from her storage ring.

Infusing it with spiritual energy, she tossed the divine dragon skyward.

In an instant, the wooden figure sprang to life, its body expanding rapidly until it astonishingly reached a length of ten meters!

As the divine dragon coiled and circled high above, a palpable excitement gleamed in Yu Qingxuan’s eyes.

Setting aside all else, its mere appearance exuded immense power.

Yet, this puppet was more than just a grand display; it possessed a minor, additional function.

Yu Qingxuan glanced left and right, but frustratingly, found no suitable target.

Surely, she couldn’t possibly use her Junior Brother as a target, could she?

That was absolutely out of the question!

“Hmph! Let this True Person test the might of this puppet!”

Yu Qingxuan let out a soft huff, her eyes gleaming with haughty pride, and an undeniable aura of dominance radiating from her.

As her words faded, the divine dragon in the sky turned its majestic head, its gaze fixed upon the woman below.

“Whoosh—” A sudden spray of water erupted from the divine dragon’s mouth, completely drenching Yu Qingxuan.

Yu Qingxuan’s expression froze instantly, and a sudden, profound silence descended upon the scene.

Qin Yan furrowed his brow, wondering if the water spewed from the divine dragon’s mouth possessed some peculiar property.

“Damn it!!!” Yu Qingxuan suddenly roared in fury. “This is clearly just a toy!!!”

Indeed, it was nothing more than a toy.

Beyond its realistic and impressive appearance, the water it spewed from its mouth was utterly useless; it was just ordinary water.

This water, in fact, served no purpose other than to thoroughly drench her hair and robes.

In that moment, Yu Qingxuan longed to smash the divine dragon before her into a thousand pieces.

Yet, a second thought reminded her that doing so would only compound her loss, and so she forcibly suppressed the surge of anger within her.

Then, with a somewhat crestfallen expression, Yu Qingxuan glanced towards Qin Yan, who stood not far away.

“It’s alright, Junior Brother,” she said, her voice tinged with boundless desolation. “If you want to laugh, then laugh…”

Qin Yan gazed at Yu Qingxuan, her dress now clinging tightly to her form.

The thin green fabric, dampened by the water, became translucent in places, subtly revealing glimpses of her skin and creating an alluring sense of veiled mystery.

Moreover, owing to the late hour, Yu Qingxuan had been dressed somewhat casually.

This entire incident only served to further accentuate the magnificent figure of Senior Sister Yu.

Yu Qingxuan, however, remained oblivious to Qin Yan’s gaze; even if she had noticed, she likely wouldn’t have assumed he was secretly looking at her.

After all, in this particular world, it was far more common for women to discreetly observe men than the other way around.

With a gentle wave of her hand, her damp hair and robes were instantly dried by a surge of spiritual energy.

She then retrieved a hairpin from her storage ring and elegantly coiled her long, raven tresses atop her head.

Were she a mere mortal, Yu Qingxuan, at her age, would have long since married and borne children.

Qin Yan lowered his head, not daring to dwell on the alluring sight of his Senior Sister in her wet clothes.

Of course, he wouldn’t laugh at her, despite the bittersweet irony of her expending such effort only to acquire a mere toy.

Such an outcome was truly a situation that left one not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“Cough, cough…” Yu Qingxuan cleared her throat softly, then approached Qin Yan.

She mused whether her previous actions had been a bit excessive, and if she had inadvertently tarnished her image as a Senior Sister in her Junior Brother’s eyes.

“Junior Brother,” she began, “you secretly went down the mountain this time.

It’s one thing not to tell Master, but why didn’t you tell *me*?”

“Next time, definitely, Senior Sister,” Qin Yan replied, a smile gracing his lips as he inhaled the faint, pleasant fragrance emanating from her.

“That’s more like it,” Yu Qingxuan said, nodding.

Adopting a serious demeanor, she waved her hand at Qin Yan and spoke softly, “It’s getting late now, so go and rest.”

“Yes, Senior Sister!” Qin Yan affirmed with a nod.

****

Within a cave on a desolate mountain.

A mysterious young woman was in the process of refining an ancient corpse before her, as countless black corpse worms laboriously gnawed away at its decaying flesh.

Gu Yue Fangyuan slowly opened her eyes from her cross-legged posture.

Having been reborn, she naturally knew all the crucial turning points in this life, and she understood that now was not the time to lay claim to Qin Yan.

Gu Yue Fangyuan’s feelings toward Qin Yan were complex.

Originally, she had been singularly devoted to the Dao, seeking eternal life and absolute freedom.

However, the sudden intrusion of a young man had begun to subtly alter some of her deeply held beliefs.

The ancients often said: ‘One cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw.’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning one cannot have the best of both worlds; a choice must be made between two desirable things.)

‘But what I, Gu Yue Fangyuan, desire, no one can, nor shall, prevent me from obtaining!!!’

She felt the aura of the corpse worms before her steadily rising.

This world, much like her cultivation of these Gu worms (TL Note: A type of venomous insect or creature in Chinese folklore, often used in black magic), had always adhered to the principle of ‘survival of the fittest,’ with the ultimate victor emerging as the Gu King.

Traditional benevolence and morality held no sway over the returned young woman.

For now, however, the time was not yet ripe…